When the Suns decided to rest a perfectly healthy Goran Dragic for the team’s last two games, there was really no question as to the reasons why.

Phoenix is all the way out of the playoff picture, and has been for some time. Winning games is no longer the priority for these Suns, while player development, in the form of giving guys like rookie point guard Kendall Marshall heavy minutes, despite there being better options available on the roster, is the focus moving forward.

That’s the altruistic version of what’s happening. Those more cynical, or perhaps even more practical, may view the Suns’ decision to play lineups featuring nowhere near the team’s best players as a way to tank games to finish the season, thereby earning a better chance of landing a higher pick in this summer’s NBA draft.

That notion, that the organization may not be as invested in winning as it was to start the season, isn’t sitting well with some of the team’s players.

The Dragic move privately disturbed some Suns who have been trying to adhere to the mantras for all-out effort, no excuses and a winning culture.

The Suns known for high effort — Dragic, P.J. Tucker, Luis Scola and Shannon Brown — have seen recent time reductions. Dragic sat out two games. Tucker did not play in a March 15 game when he was healthy. Scola averaged 13 minutes on a three-game trip that included his Houston homecoming. Brown logged eight minutes in a four-week span.

“It’s a business,” Tucker said of holding out Dragic at Utah, who could help the Suns to a second draft lottery pick if they pass the Los Angeles Lakers. “All that stuff doesn’t matter. We’re going to play regardless of who they play or don’t play.”

The one thing that’s unquestionably true is that if there is full-fledged tanking going on, it’s at an organizational level only. Players are simply not hard-wired to go at half-speed, and most are not going to be OK with losing games for any reason, much less because the team isn’t willing to field lineups featuring its best players.

The silver lining in Phoenix is that this is exactly what you would want to hear from the guys in the locker room, especially when considering who should be retained for next year as the team continues its rebuilding effort.

Where’s the Cavaliers down by one point with nine seconds to go in the fourth quarter, Rodney Hood took it upon himself to take what he thought would be the last shot for Cleveland. Hood danced around the defense before finally taking a jumper from the free-throw line, which bounced softly off the rim.

Nance, battling down low for the rebound, worked his way free for a tip-in as time expired.

What counts as collusion these days in the NBA? What counts as tampering? It’s hard to say, but the league office takes a look at each and every comment like the one LeBron James made on Tuesday about New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis.

Speaking to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, James said it would be incredible if Davis were somehow able to make his way onto the Los Angeles Lakers. This slots into the rumor around the NBA that LA is stockpiling its young core to be able to trade for a player like Davis.

“That would be amazing,” James told ESPN on Tuesday before the Lakers’ 115-110 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. “That would be amazing, like, duh. That would be incredible.”

There’s nothing much here that LeBron said that isn’t factual. Davis is a 5-time All-Star and one of the best players in the NBA, a unicorn not unlike LeBron himself.

The NBA is certainly hoping that the Lakers can get their act together and put a powerhouse around James at Staples Center. How he does it is up for debate, although making comments about current players probably isn’t the best idea. James has been able to keep his mouth shut for the most part, but perhaps talk of Davis is just too tempting.

But was Harden called for a travel by officials? No. At least, not at first.

Video of Harden’s ridiculous shuffle was circulated on social media after the Houston Rockets beat the Utah Jazz, 102-97. Harden was asked about the move by media, and said that he wasn’t going to tell on himself, which is fair enough.

On Tuesday the official NBA referee Twitter page decided to comment on the play at hand, admitting that they had made a mistake and had missed a travel.

Via Twitter:

The offensive player gathers the ball while on his right foot. He then takes a step with his left foot (step 1) into a hop step, landing first with his right foot (step 2) and then illegally with his left (step 3). We missed this one – it is a traveling violation. https://t.co/BqMAoZHgIu

Having a Twitter account hasn’t always worked out for the NBRA. Their explanations of what many would consider to be violations have often stood in the face of common sense. To that end, they’ve sometimes been mocked on social media, which is against their goal of having the social channel in the first place. But this play with Harden was a particular sore subject with fans around the league, and it was right of them in to make a comment.

LeBron James is seemingly and ageless wonder. The Los Angeles Lakers forward is still one of the most athletic players to ever grace an NBA court, and despite his obvious physical decline, that’s not to say he’s a slouch out there. He’s not exactly late-career Boris Diaw just yet.

But LeBron is now 34 years old, and as such there are other players on the floor with him at any given time that have a bit more bounce than The King. James found that out the hard way on Tuesday night as the Lakers took on the Brooklyn Nets in New York.

During a play early in the first quarter, James drove to the basket only to be rejected by Brooklyn’s Jarrett Allen at the rim.